2018: Cruising the Galapagos on the Galapagos Legend with Ecuador's Amazon (ISKC)

11 days from Quito to Guayaquil

Call (518) 346-3525 for more information or to book today! Mention code 13901393

Tour Operator

Monograms

Offer

Offer valid through 6/30/2018

Duration

11 Days

Escorted

Escorted - No

Day

Destination

Description

Day 1

Quito

Arrive in Quito, where you will be met by your Local Host.

Day 2

Amazon Lodge

Fly to Coca and travel by motorized CANOE to your selected Amazon lodge, your home base for the next three nights. (L,D)

Day 3

Amazon Lodge

At the Sacha Lodge: During your stay, enjoy EXCURSIONS with a Naturalist who introduces you to the Amazon. On the suspended rainforest canopy walk your Naturalist points out many different species of vibrantly colored birds. Jungle walks show off the immense biodiversity and medicinal plants that have been used by the native cultures for hundreds of years. Visit the lodge's butterfly house, one of Ecuador's largest, and take a night walk or canoe ride with a Local Guide to discover creatures that can rarely be seen during the day! You will also cruise through the flooded forest in search of troops of squirrels, capuchin, and howler monkeys-and maybe even the incredibly well camouflaged 3-toed sloth. After fishing for piranhas, arrive at the Kapok Tree tower, perched 135-feet high. Get close-up views of birds as the sun sets on volcanic Mount Sumaco and the Andes. (B,L,D daily)At the La Selva Lodge: During your stay, enjoy EXCURSIONS with a Naturalist who introduces you to the Amazon. Breakfast is served early because there is so much to see and do! There are a number of activities, including a visit to the parrot clay lick, a trip to a local community, or an excursion to the observation tower to see birds and monkeys. The activity included will depend on many factors, including the weather and what you prefer to do. After lunch, try your hand at piranha fishing, take a nap, or read a book during the hottest hours of the day. In the afternoon, included activities consist of a canoe ride around the lagoon, a short trail walk to hopefully see pygmy marmosets, or visit the nearby butterfly farm. Included evening excursions will be available after dinner, if you so choose. Alternatively, many guests prefer to relax in the lounge with a cold drink or have a soothing massage in the spa! (B,L,D daily)

Day 4

Amazon Lodge

At the Sacha Lodge: During your stay, enjoy EXCURSIONS with a Naturalist who introduces you to the Amazon. On the suspended rainforest canopy walk your Naturalist points out many different species of vibrantly colored birds. Jungle walks show off the immense biodiversity and medicinal plants that have been used by the native cultures for hundreds of years. Visit the lodge's butterfly house, one of Ecuador's largest, and take a night walk or canoe ride with a Local Guide to discover creatures that can rarely be seen during the day! You will also cruise through the flooded forest in search of troops of squirrels, capuchin, and howler monkeys-and maybe even the incredibly well camouflaged 3-toed sloth. After fishing for piranhas, arrive at the Kapok Tree tower, perched 135-feet high. Get close-up views of birds as the sun sets on volcanic Mount Sumaco and the Andes. (B,L,D daily)At the La Selva Lodge: During your stay, enjoy EXCURSIONS with a Naturalist who introduces you to the Amazon. Breakfast is served early because there is so much to see and do! There are a number of activities, including a visit to the parrot clay lick, a trip to a local community, or an excursion to the observation tower to see birds and monkeys. The activity included will depend on many factors, including the weather and what you prefer to do. After lunch, try your hand at piranha fishing, take a nap, or read a book during the hottest hours of the day. In the afternoon, included activities consist of a canoe ride around the lagoon, a short trail walk to hopefully see pygmy marmosets, or visit the nearby butterfly farm. Included evening excursions will be available after dinner, if you so choose. Alternatively, many guests prefer to relax in the lounge with a cold drink or have a soothing massage in the spa! (B,L,D daily)

Day 5

Quito

Depart your Amazon lodge and fly from Coca to Quito today. The remainder of your afternoon is at leisure. (B)

Day 6

Quito

Your included PRIVATE CITY TOUR showcases the rich legacy left by the Incas and Spaniards. See Independence Square, dominated by its formidable cathedral, San Francisco Plaza Church, and the basilica with its marvelous stained-glass windows. (B)

Day 7

GALAPAGOS CRUISING: BARTOLOME ISLAND

Fly to Baltra and transfer with your expert Naturalist to the Galapagos Legend for your 3-night CRUISE. Sail to BARTOLOME ISLAND to discover a fascinating moonscape formed by volcanic parasitic cones. Hike to the summit for impressive views of the surrounding islands, including Pinnacle Rock. You will also encounter marine iguanas, lava lizards, and blue-footed boobies. Bartolome offers some of the best snorkeling, thanks to clear waters and abundant sea life, including sea turtles, white-tipped reef sharks, and maybe even Galapagos penguins. (B,L,D)

Day 8

CRUISING: SOUTH PLAZA & NORTH SEYMOUR ISLANDS

Wake up at SOUTH PLAZA and take a walk through an impressive cactus forest populated with land and marine iguanas. Due to the proximity of land iguanas and marine iguanas here, this is the only place on Earth where you will find the Galapagos hybrid iguana. From the summit, watch for tropicbirds, Nazca and blue-footed boobies, and swallow-tailed gulls. After lunch on board, visit NORTH SEYMOUR, a landmass formed by a series of underwater volcanic eruptions, which deposited layers of lava on the ocean floor. Take a walk amidst large nesting colonies of blue-footed boobies, magnificent and great frigate birds, and swallow-tailed gulls for an in-depth encounter with sea bird breeding cycles and sea lions. You will also encounter land iguanas and, on a lucky day, you might even come across the endemic Galapagos snake. (B,L,D)

Day 9

Cruising: San Cristobal Island

Arrive at PITT ISLET on SAN CRISTOBAL and walk to the top of a volcanic tuff, where you are awarded with several magnificent viewpoints. This is one of the few sites where the Galapagos' three booby species (blue-footed, red-footed, and Nazca) can be seen together. You will also find the two species of frigatebirds and a sea lion colony. It is excellent for dinghy rides, seeing a good range of seabirds, and snorkeling, too. At CERRO BRUJO, visit a lagoon where migratory bird species can be seen: black-necked stilts, ruddy turnstones, whimbrels, other sandpiper species, and white-cheeked pintails. Cerro Brujo offers beautiful views of Kicker Rock, the southern part of San Cristobal, and the adjacent coast. Your visit includes time to swim with the sea lions and other marine life. (B,L,D)

After breakfast, disembark in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and visit the GIANT TORTOISE RESERVE on SAN CRISTOBAL. Learn about the national park's conservation and breeding programs to protect the endangered tortoise species. Also, visit the port village for a last chance at souvenirs before bidding farewell to the enchanted Galapagos Islands. Transfer to San Cristobal Airport and fly to Guayaquil, where the remainder of the day is at leisure. (B)

Dates & Prices do not include air travel. Participation in this vacation requires purchase of the following flights from Monograms, not included in pricing: (1) roundtrip air from your U.S. gateway and intra-vacation air segments; or (2) intra-vacation air segments only, starting at $798. Required intra-vacation air segments are Quito/Coca; Coca/Quito; Quito/Galapagos; Galapagos/Guayaquil. Air prices were effective on July 12, 2017, and their availability is limited. At the time you purchase your vacation, air prices may be higher. Cruise pricing is based on a Standard Plus cabins on the Galapagos Legend. Cabin upgrades are available.Galapagos package includes Galapagos National Park entrance fee, transit card, and ship's fuel surcharge ($170 value).2019 departures are subject to itinerary and price modifications. Details will be available in July 2018.